In unity there is power: A win for students, adjunct faculty, & self governance
The VCU Faculty Senate in a 53–3–1 vote demonstrated significant leadership, long-term thinking, a commitment to honor the value of instruction and do what’s best for students. The Faculty Senate report recommends increased wages for all adjunct faculty, a just transition for adjunct faculty working full time hours to full time positions, and the reduction of unnecessary precarity among our workforce. We thank the Faculty Senate for taking a firm stance against the approach directed by Provost Hackett in her, “Adjunct Teaching Loads” email sent on Apr. 28th.
At their May 4th meeting, VCU’s Faculty Senate was slated to vote on a list of recommendations about the role of adjuncts at VCU. However, the meeting took a different turn when Provost Hackett attended and presented a policy that would reduce the number of courses adjuncts can teach per semester, cutting many adjuncts’ pay by ⅓ and limiting the classes available to students. The Faculty Senate in response launched into robust debate about how to revise their previously-drafted proposal in response to these proposed cuts. In order to give all senators appropriate time to weigh in, they voted via e-mail after a two-day comment period, resulting in a near-unanimous decision and strong recommendations that, if followed, will protect adjuncts in the short and long term.
VCU Students will benefit from the reduction in precarity of their instructors. Countless studies have documented that young people having consistent and trusting relationships with adults promotes healthy cognitive development. VCU instructors with security will be around to write letters of recommendation, offer advice, and offer high quality pedagogy that comes from being able to plan years ahead.
On April 26th, VCU staff, graduate student workers, adjunct, term, and tenure / tenure-track faculty announced the formation of a labor union, United Campus Workers. We did so in recognition that our working conditions are the learning conditions of VCU Students. Two days later, the Provost emailed the deans of all colleges, instructing them to cut adjunct hours immediately. She acknowledged that this directive was not in line with the university’s policy on the matter, stating “while it will take us well into next year to change this official policy, the President has directed us to informally follow this policy effective immediately.” While the directive suggests Deans may consider opening full time lines, it also tacitly acknowledges Deans will not have the budget to do so.
Retaliation for union activity is illegal, and we will continue to pursue a FOIA request to shed light on the birth of this policy. One of the well documented unfortunate responses to unionization by management across industry is to cynically suggest that by forming a union, workers may actually lose things they currently enjoy. While this does not reflect the reality — union workers across industries have better wages, benefits, and job security — this tactic can produce fear that inhibits organizing.
Our labor union’s foundation comes from years of organizing by Adjunct professors. VCU Administration directed implementation of a policy that would result in cuts to adjunct hours the same week of the announcement. However, UCW members proved that we would not be intimidated. Instead UCW members came together across classification and made a plan to engage with the VCU Faculty Senate.
As a result of our organizing not only did the VCU Faculty Senate respond to our concerns, but Provost Hackett, who was in attendance, made explicit commitments to shift away from the approach advocated for in her email. In response to UCW members, and the principled debate hosted by the VCU Faculty Senate, Provost Hackett committed on behalf of President Rao that the policy of the Administration will be to delay any policy that could result in cuts to adjunct hours. Further, that the administration will provide the extra funding necessary to provide benefits to those instructors already teaching or scheduled to teach a 9 credit course load. She committed that the message from the VCU Administration to Deans will be: “We are not telling you to cut them back, we are telling you to pay them benefits, and here is the money to pay them benefits.”
VCU Faculty united against retaliation and sent a clear recommendation to the VCU Administration that adjuncts must be protected. In doing so the VCU Faculty Senate demonstrated the critical importance of university self governance. Together, we took a big step towards building the VCU we deserve.
United Campus Workers recognizes the tremendous work done by Faculty Senate leadership to investigate and report out on adjunct working conditions at VCU. UCW affirms the recommendation in the report which can be found here.
VCU’s Chapter of AAUP this week released a report on faculty conditions at VCU that raised serious concerns about the state of shared governance on our campus. UCW affirms our support of the on-going work of AAUP to uplift the voice of our Faculty in the development of policies that directly impact us and our students. Find their report here.
We also wish to extend our thanks to progressive leaders Del. Sam Rasoul and Jennifer Carroll Foy who both released statements in opposition to the retaliation from VCU Administration.
Onwards together.
